


A Thorn for The Rose

by WeaversGrace (TSMenninger)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold in the Dark Castle, Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold in the Enchanted Forest, Episode: s01e12 Skin Deep, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-18 00:05:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11862468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSMenninger/pseuds/WeaversGrace
Summary: This one-shot takes place a day after Rumplestiltskin catches Belle from her ladder fall at the window in "Skin Deep"Rumple (the reawakened man emboldened by light Belle brings) is at war with himself (the Dark One voices he has failed to keep silent since catching Belle when she fell from the ladder). Since he experienced this awakening inside him, Rumple has been struggling with giving Belle her freedom but there is a price (his foresight showed him visions of Belle's fate back home) that has troubled his day of self-imposed solitude out in the fens restocking potion ingredients. Collecting his last ingredient (bog asphodel that can only be harvested during the full moon) led Rumple to a rider-less mare, trapped in the mire and surrounded by a pack of wolves. Rumple sent the wolves running with fireballs. He could have healed the horse and sent it away, but instead saw the horse as a godsend--a means to send Belle home as if she escaped from the Dark Castle which would not warrant suspicion that Belle was "tainted by her time with the Dark One." That Dark One, by the way, who hisses inside Rumple nonstop to send Belle home without delay.





	A Thorn for The Rose

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by the Chinese proverb “A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom” (a friend posts daily sayings and I found this one on August 18) and was born from questions I've been mulling about for a while now (for more of this, check out the notes at the end of the story).

     Rumplestiltskin craned over the tower ledge; full moonlight illuminated the filthy golden mare, gobbling another apple Belle offered.

  _To be a fly in that tangled mane._ The quickening Rumple had denied all day in the fens brought the palpitations he'd experienced catching Belle yesterday. 

     “The Dark One’s heart _shouldn’t_ flutter, Dearie.” Taking Rumple's form, the Dark One traipsed the ledge.  “Quit stalling—the potion.”

     Rumple clenched the glass vial. _I'm hideous._ He looked from his doppelganger to Belle.   _And she's beautiful._

     “She’s a beautiful gift horse to enchant to send _her_ home.” The imp pointed at Belle.

     “I can’t.” The vial turned to ice in Rumple's hand. “The vision—“

     “It’ll appear Belle escaped. No taint of dark magic on her.” The imp blocked Rumple’s view. “Stop dallying.”

     “I’m not dallying.”

     “Spinning the mare's sad tale to Belle isn't dallying? War weary, she was left in the bog. Fortunately, I found her before the wolves finished her. If they were werewolves, she'll need a proper potion." The imp laughed. "Werewolves? Hoping she’ll be afraid to leave? That she'll need you? Love you? Spare yourself that impossible dream.” The imp wagged a finger then vanished.

 _It is an impossible dream._ Rumple swallowed hard.

 _Best get on with it._ He magicked himself outside the stable.

    "I’ve found it.” Rumple ignored Belle's smile as he bent to apply potion to the mare’s bloody front leg.

    “I named her.” Belle leaned over Rumple’s shoulder. “There's a saying—‘A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom.’”

    Rumple stiffened. “Thorn, fitting considering trouble she's caused me.” 

    “It’s Rose.” Belle took her weathered reins. “Why _did_ you save her?”

    Rumple pressed his hand against Rose's forehead.  “She was tromping bog asphodel.”

    "Bog asphodel?" Belle asked.

      _H_ _ow I'll miss this insatiable curiosity. "_ It can only be harvested at moontide. I—"

      _No dallying,_ the Dark One hissed.

     “I'll heal your Rose.” Eyes closed, Rumple worked a spell imprinting Rose with the route to Belle's home.

_Back to her fiancé._

     Foresight came breaking the spell.

      _In the gr_ _eat room full of trophies, G_ _aston towered over Belle._

 _Crying, Belle's face was marred by_ _bruises._

_“What’s the price? Our firstborn?” Gaston glowered. "Never speak his name in this house.”_

_Belle locked eyes with Gaston. “Rum—“_

_Gaston struck Belle; she fell against the hearth._

     A light touch brushed Rumple's silken sleeve.

     "Rumplestiltskin?" Belle's voice brought him back. "Are you all right?"

      _I'll never send you_ _to that 'home,' Belle._ "Just the price of enchantment." Rumple redirected the spell. "There. If Rose is ever lost, she'll find her way back home here."

     “Home." As Rose whinnied, Belle added, "She's grateful that Rumplestiltskin's her thorn."

     "She's a rarity then." Rumple handed Belle another apple.  What did dallying hurt?

      _Y_ _our heart’s fluttering again, Dearie,_ the Dark One warned.  _Belle will destroy your blossom_ _ing plans._

 _I’ll find another_ way. Rumple vowed as Rose nuzzled Belle. _If Gaston comes near, he’ll find a thorn named Rumplestiltskin defending Belle._

**Author's Note:**

> In the development of my AU Season 3 Tale, "As Strong As Death", I started wondering two things:
> 
> 1) What if Rumple intended (in "The New Neverland" before Pan was revealed to have switched bodies with Henry) to take Belle to the Wishing Well where, after admitting some of his past misdeeds (killing Gaston chief among them), he meant to propose marriage?
> 
> 2) Did Rumple have a deeper motive for killing Gaston?  
> The original scene I wrote of Rumple's vision of Belle's abuse at Gaston's hands (a flashback for Rumple his first time in the Underworld) took place immediately after Rumple caught Belle at the window but has now been adapted to this short tale (as that "palomino horse" we saw Belle riding in "A Curious Thing" to warn the Charmings and Regina of Baelfire's death and The Wicked Witch now having control of the Dark One dagger--and Rumple also plays a role in the AU Season 3 tale).
> 
> Also this is my insight especially in Seasons 4 through most of 6, people tended to forget that Rumple is under a curse—the Dark One is a malevolent spirit.
> 
> * * * (WARNING SEASON 6 SPOILER) * * *  
> The Dark One is truly "the Devil on my shoulder” as Rumple calls out the Dark One in “The Final Battle” cave scene that is a powerhouse of Robert Carlyle’s acting skills. This scene inspired the story you just read: Rumple the man falling in love with Belle versus Rumple the Dark One. My take is the Dark One is always out for its own preservation and would even to its “host” Rumplestiltskin, lie and twist the truth to its own ends (seen in how easily the Dark One manipulates the newer man-turned-Dark One Hook in Season 5 to bring all the Dark One spirits up from the Underworld). Also the Dark One plus plays on Rumple’s very human weaknesses (his fear of being unlovable, his lifetime of cowardice, his very real fear of going back to the powerless, crippled human spinner he was).


End file.
